Things to Consider When Choosing an Outsourced Lead Generation Agency

Social media ads. LinkedIn outreach. Cold emails. Cold calling. Inbound marketing campaign. SEO strategies. Referrals. You see where we’re going? 

There are countless ways to generate leads for your business, but just because there are so many methods, it doesn’t also mean lead generation is simple. In fact, according to recent studies, generating quality leads remains one of the top challenges for sales and marketing teams.

That’s why if you’re finding lead generation to be a time-consuming, resource-draining process, outsourcing might seem like a logical solution. That also might be the reason why many companies are now turning to outsourced lead generation agencies to fill their sales pipeline with qualified leads, allowing them to focus on scaling and refining their core operations.

But, outsourcing isn’t as easy as hiring the first agency that promises results. It’s critical to partner with the right lead generation provider to ensure success. You need a partner who understands your business and can deliver quality leads consistently.

This guide breaks down everything you need to know when choosing an outsourced lead generation agency to ensure you make the right decision and get the most out of your investment.

Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll learn:

1. Reasons why you need to outsource your lead generation
2. Indicators when you should consider outsourcing
3. Things that you should look for in a lead gen provider
4. The Pros and Cons of Outsourcing Lead Generation

Why Outsource Your Lead Gen

The first thing you need to consider is to understand why your business needs to outsource your lead generation efforts. Outsourcing your lead generation efforts comes with numerous advantages, particularly when it comes to saving time, effort, and money.

Here’s why it can be a game-changer for your business:

• It frees up internal resources. You can focus on other activities such as the hiring of new employees, training, and making sure they understand company culture and values.
• It allows you to access to specialized tools and expertise. Lead generation agencies have tools to make lead generation faster and high-quality. You do not have to buy them or train your people to use these tools. Your company will be able to use the right tools to generate leads.
• It accelerates time to market. If you are a new company and have not yet developed your sales strategy, you can go on with the sales campaign at the soonest time by letting the outsourced lead generation team handle the campaign.

When Should You Consider Outsourcing?

Not every company is ready to hand over its lead generation to a third party. Here are some indicators that outsourcing may be a good fit for your business:

• Your sales team is overloaded and struggles to follow up with new prospects.
• Your marketing efforts are yielding fewer leads than you need to sustain your business goals.
• You lack the tools or expertise to execute effective lead generation campaigns in-house.
• You’re entering a new market and need to quickly understand potential customers and buying signals.

Discover the questions to ask in choosing a lead generation company.

How to Find a Lead Gen Provider That Fits Your Business

Outsourcing your lead generation allows you to focus on running your company and making it grow. When hiring, you should know what to expect from the lead generation agency provider. It will help you determine if they can provide value to your business or not.

Here are the things that you can expect from a lead generation agency. If they fall short of these expectations, retaining them can be a waste of money.

1. Clear Process and Schedule
2. Creation of an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)
3. Tailored Campaigns and Messaging
4. Continuous Lead Flow
5. Multi-Channel Approach
6. Transparent Reporting and Accountability
7. Active Participation in Strategy Meetings

#1 A lead gen company should present a clear process and procedure

Lead generation involves tasks that must be done within a time frame to make the efforts successful. You must expect the agency you hire to present a calendar of activities for lead generation. 

Timeliness is important when collecting leads and doing campaigns. You can check the agency’s performance by referring to the schedule of activities to see if things are happening as they should.

Pro Tip:: “Ask for a detailed project timeline from the agency. This allows you to track performance, ensuring activities like cold calls or email sequences happen when planned.”

#2 A reliable lead gen company will help you create an ideal customer profile (ICP)

An efficient lead generation agency determines the type of customers that will match the products and services you offer. It allows them to target high-quality prospects who are most likely to convert into a customer. 

Your ICP should include factors like:

• Industry
• Company size
• Pain points and challenges
• Decision-maker roles

This helps in targeting high-quality prospects who are most likely to convert, ensuring faster conversions and lower acquisition costs.

#3 The agency should be able to create an effective lead generation campaign

Identifying target customers will help the lead generation team and your company plan out the best marketing campaign to employ. 

With an ICP in hand, the agency should craft personalized marketing campaigns to attract and engage your target audience. Whether through email marketing, paid ads, or social media outreach, the message must resonate with the prospect’s needs.

Personalization increases the chances of meaningful engagement, shortening the sales cycle and improving lead quality.

Moreover, you should take note that the campaign must be designed to nurture the leads until they are ready to become customers.

See how Callbox lead generation campaign provides success for a Financial Management firm.

#4 An effective lead gen provider should be able to supply you with continuous leads.

One of the primary benefits of hiring a lead generation agency is to ensure a steady stream of leads. Your agency should focus on filling your pipeline with qualified leads—those who have the budget, authority, and need for your product or service.

You hired a lead generation agency to give you a steady flow of leads and qualify them before passing it on to sales. 

Qualified leads mean that the prospects’ profile matches those that can afford to buy the product or service that your company offers. 

Complete lead means that the lead generation team provides that sales team with all the details needed to smoothly close the deal.

A continuous supply of qualified leads will empower your sales team to close deals faster, thus driving revenue growth.

#5 Your agency should have an ability to use different lead generation channels.

Lead generation agencies use different channels to get leads. If you have a preferred channel, they will use it. However, expect them to use different channels to maximize the generated leads.

Using only a one-channel approach is not enough. Effective lead generation agencies employ multi-channel strategies, combining cold calling, email campaigns, LinkedIn outreach, SEO, and paid media to capture leads from various sources.

Some agencies also use exegraphic data, which leverages machine learning to identify businesses that exhibit buying behaviors similar to your ideal customers. This advanced data set allows for more accurate targeting and faster conversions.

Learn the different lead generation channels and how to use them to generate more leads.

#6 A trusted lead generation provider ensures to submit their report regularly

An essential factor to consider is the transparency of the lead generation agency’s reporting process. They should provide regular reports that show metrics such as:

• Number of leads generated
• Lead quality
• Conversion rates

The report can be displayed in a dashboard to give you real-time progress by showing the number of leads generated every time you access it. You can see how many were added to the previous count. Others would submit reports through email.
Clear data empowers you to make informed decisions about continuing or adjusting your strategy. So, whatever reporting system the outsourced agency uses, inform them that you expect them to do it regularly and that you want to see progress.

#7 The agency you hire should actively participate in your regular meetings

The lead generation agency that you hire is expected to join regular meetings of your company wherein they can give their report to provide updates, performance, and any adjustment to the strategy. This ensures alignment and provides a platform to raise any concerns or suggestions. The goal is to foster a collaborative relationship where both sides contribute to success.

Moreover, knowing how the outsourced agency performs its job will help you decide to continue using its services or not. Knowing what to expect from the lead generation services providers that you hired will enable you to get the best results that can make your business grow.

The Pros and Cons of Outsourcing Lead Generation

Pros:

• Saves time: Your internal team can focus on other high-impact activities.
• Cost-effective: You save on hiring, training, and technology investments.
• Expertise: You gain access to specialized knowledge and tools.
• Faster results: Agencies have the capacity to scale efforts quickly.

Cons:

• Lack of control: You’re relying on a third party to manage an important part of your sales funnel.
• Quality concerns: Not all agencies deliver high-quality leads, so due diligence is crucial.
• Integration issues: Outsourced services might not fully align with your internal processes.

Learn more about outsourcing lead generation companies.

Conclusion: Make the Right Choice

Outsourcing lead generation can provide your business with a competitive advantage—if you choose the right partner. By considering factors like the agency’s process, ability to craft an Ideal Customer Profile, multi-channel approach, and accountability in reporting, you can select a lead generation provider that fits your business and drives results.

Lead generation isn’t just about filling your pipeline, but also about targeting the right audience, nurturing those relationships, and ensuring your sales team is equipped with high-quality leads ready to convert. The right agency can help you achieve this, ultimately leading to growth and success.